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Teachers get first dibs at Christian School sale

Published: Friday, July 19, 2013 at 2:17 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 19, 2013 at 2:17 p.m.

A Superior Court judge has ruled that proceeds from the sale of Hendersonville Christian School should first cover the unpaid salaries of teachers who worked there, then be dispersed to other creditors.

“The interest of justice requires that the teachers who taught children at the school be given priority over other unsecured creditors,” Judge W. Erwin Spainhour wrote in an order filed Wednesday.

Teachers Faith Cooper, Lynn Lechron, Denise Walden and Grace Currie petitioned the court for a combined total of $16,768.08 of the $55,362.54 remaining from the school’s sale. The teachers say they were not paid for the final two months of their employment.

The judge granted each of their requests in their full amounts.

“These teachers should be paid their unpaid salaries. The remaining claimants should be paid on a pro rata basis,” Spainhour ruled.

The school’s former headmaster, attorney James L. Goldsmith Jr., petitioned the court for $273,000 in attorney’s fees from the sale. He was granted a sum of $37,652.75 for his services.

Kathleen Seng and Dr. S.E. McChristian, former Hendersonville Christian School board members, were at the proceedings in Henderson County Superior Court Monday when the judge heard from Currie, speaking on behalf of the teachers. They were there for moral support.

“They’ve been waiting for two years” to get t he rest of their salaries, Seng said Friday afternoon. “I think it’s fantastic that the teachers were able to get fully compensated. That’s what I was hoping for.”

Total claims submitted against the sale added up to $296,605.51.

Other petitioners included the city of Hendersonville at $201.03, Southern Alarm at $3,148.15, and Jostens Inc. at $3,488.25.

The school closed down last summer, and its facilities were sold to Henderson County for $910,000. Of that money, $765,000 went to satisfy a mortgage held by TD Bank; $30,000 went to the N.C. Employment Security Commission; and $91,000 went to real estate commissions and other closing costs.

The remaining proceeds of the sale — $55,362.54 — were split among the petitioners.

<p>A Superior Court judge has ruled that proceeds from the sale of Hendersonville Christian School should first cover the unpaid salaries of teachers who worked there, then be dispersed to other creditors.</p><p>“The interest of justice requires that the teachers who taught children at the school be given priority over other unsecured creditors,” Judge W. Erwin Spainhour wrote in an order filed Wednesday. </p><p>Teachers Faith Cooper, Lynn Lechron, Denise Walden and Grace Currie petitioned the court for a combined total of $16,768.08 of the $55,362.54 remaining from the school's sale. The teachers say they were not paid for the final two months of their employment. </p><p>The judge granted each of their requests in their full amounts.</p><p>“These teachers should be paid their unpaid salaries. The remaining claimants should be paid on a pro rata basis,” Spainhour ruled.</p><p>The school's former headmaster, attorney James L. Goldsmith Jr., petitioned the court for $273,000 in attorney's fees from the sale. He was granted a sum of $37,652.75 for his services.</p><p>Kathleen Seng and Dr. S.E. McChristian, former Hendersonville Christian School board members, were at the proceedings in Henderson County Superior Court Monday when the judge heard from Currie, speaking on behalf of the teachers. They were there for moral support.</p><p>“They've been waiting for two years” to get t he rest of their salaries, Seng said Friday afternoon. “I think it's fantastic that the teachers were able to get fully compensated. That's what I was hoping for.”</p><p>Total claims submitted against the sale added up to $296,605.51.</p><p>Other petitioners included the city of Hendersonville at $201.03, Southern Alarm at $3,148.15, and Jostens Inc. at $3,488.25.</p><p>Petitioners were awarded the following amounts: city of Hendersonville, $27.02; Faith Cooper, $3,922.40; Lynn Lechron, $4,632.68; Denise Walden, $3,750; Grace Currie, $4,463; Southern Alarm, $432.26; Jostens Inc., $482.43; and James L. Goldsmith, $37,652.75.</p><p>The school closed down last summer, and its facilities were sold to Henderson County for $910,000. Of that money, $765,000 went to satisfy a mortgage held by TD Bank; $30,000 went to the N.C. Employment Security Commission; and $91,000 went to real estate commissions and other closing costs.</p><p>The remaining proceeds of the sale — $55,362.54 — were split among the petitioners.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>